


Between Breaths

by GreyHaven



Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: AU: Tessa lives, Canon Temporary Character Death, Episode 2.04 The Darkness, Fix-It, Gen, MacLeod Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:45:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14276208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyHaven/pseuds/GreyHaven
Summary: Sharp tarmac digs into Tessa’s knees as she kneels beside Richie’s lifeless body, clutching his hand in hers as though her touch alone could bring him back.  He died for her.  He didn't know he was immortal and he leapt in front of those bullets without a moment's hesitation.Because Tessa isn't dead, dammit!  A short AU ficlet where Richie saves Tessa and everyone lives happily ever after.





	Between Breaths

**Author's Note:**

> *waves hello* My first fic in this fandom :) I'm still watching the show but I have Feels about Tessa dying and I needed a ficlet to just...fix it. So here it is <3

Sharp tarmac digs into Tessa’s knees as she kneels beside Richie’s lifeless body, clutching his hand in hers as though her touch alone could bring him back.  He died for her. He didn't know he was immortal and he leapt in front of those bullets without a moment's hesitation.

Mac had known since the moment he saw Richie.  Some sort of sense that she’d never be able to truly understand.  He’d told her, that same day - the day they met Richie for the first time - that the cocky, over-confident, kid in front of them was actually a pre-immortal.

But still…

Until she sees it….until she sees him wake up, she won’t let herself truly believe it.

"Tess...Tessa, c'mon, he'll be fine."  Mac's arms are strong around her shoulders, his voice soothing as he murmurs into her ear.

She shrugs him off and runs her hand across her face, angrily wiping away the tears as she stares down at Richie.  His hand is still clutched in hers and she isn’t planning on  _ letting go.   _ She knows what dying is like for them.  Mac told her one night, wrapped in her arms when he was  _ safe  _ to talk about it.

Even though they come back, it  _ hurts  _ and there’s a crushing blackness that feels like it’ll never end.

And it isn’t fair - it isn’t fair that Richie has to go through that and he doesn’t even know that he’s immortal.  He jumped in front of the bullets for her and she’s damn well going to be holding his hand when he wakes up.

She can’t think - won’t let herself think - about how close she came to dying.  Not yet. That’s something for later. Once Richie is awake and they’re all home and safe and this is just a memory.

In the dark, she doesn’t see Richie’s eyes open.  She doesn’t know he’s back until he stirs and mumbles -

“I’m immortal?  Cool!”

And then the tears are tears of relief as she leans down to wrap Richie up in a hug.

“Yeah, you’re immortal,” Mac sounds as though he’s caught somewhere between relief and amused as he kneels on Richie’s other side, his hand on Richie’s shoulder.  “We should prob’ly get outta here, before we have some explaining to do.”

Tessa drags herself away from Richie, hard though it is.  There’s so much she wants to say to him and she has to remind herself that  _ they have time. _  Mac offers him a hand, hauling him to his feet and embracing him with a clap on the back that looks hard enough to knock the wind out of Richie.

Richie gives a little cough as Mac lets him go so perhaps she wasn’t too far wrong with the assessment that he’d had the wind knocked out of him.  “Guess you’ve got some stuff to fill me in on,” he says and there’s a touch of laughter in his voice that sounds just a little bit giddy.

“Later,” Mac ushers them all towards the car, almost herding them with his arms protectively close to their shoulders.

Before they get in, Tessa can’t resist the urge to pull Richie into a hug (a gentler one than Mac had given him).

“Thank you,” she says quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.  There’ll be time to say more later but she can’t leave it unsaid.

“Tessa!”  Mac sounds impatient - exasperated, almost, and Tessa lets go of Richie so they can get into the car.

It’s time to go home.


End file.
